2014 Holiday Gift Guide

It’s that time of year for the annual Cycle Oregon holiday gift guide. It seems like every year there’s more and more cool gear and gadgetry for those who call the open road home. The clock is ticking and there are only a few shopping days left so let’s do this.

For the urban biker on your list, perhaps a solar-powered, keyless “smart bike lock” like the Skylock. This thing can be locked and unlocked via a mobile app, sends alerts to its owner if someone is trying to tamper with it and will send an alert to friends, family or EMS if you crash. You can even use it to set up an informal bike share.

If you have a loved one who carefully programs rides on GPS bike computers, chances are they might like to use a Garmin or Fitbit to track other fitness data. These gadgets allow users to measure things like activity, heart rate, sleep, and more when paired with with your smartphone or computer.

Video cameras like the GoPro are becoming increasingly popular on bike rides and the newest GoPro model is amazing. People are using them to capture some great images from mountain biking to track racing and everything in between. Of course GoPro isn’t the only game in town. Garmin makes a cool camera called the VIRB. Not only is it more shapely than the GoPro, but it also incorporates a number of bike computer functions. There’s also the Shimano Sport Camera, which was used in this year’s Tour de France to provide footage of the peloton.

There’s another interesting video camera called the Fly6, which is built right into a functioning taillight. Why would anyone want this? First, if you ride with friends it’s a great way to capture interesting video of them. Moreover, if a motorist comes up behind you in a less-than-courteous fashion (or ends up occupying the exact same part of the road as you at the exact same time) it could be handy to have a video record of the event.

Speaking of lights, the Blaze Laserlight has a unique way of letting cars know a cyclist in their blind spot (plus it’s always fun to give the gift of lasers). Of course you don’t need to spend a fortune to find a cool cycling gift. Items that are commonly used (gels, chamois lube, tubes) are always appreciated. So are things that are commonly lost – like tools.The Nutter Cycling Multitool, which was launched via a successful Kickstarter campaign, is now commercially available. The Nutter offers enough function for any cyclist, while offering enough form that people who see beauty in things like a Brook’s Saddle will surely appreciate it.

Mirrors are another important piece of cycling kit. Some people mount them on helmets or glasses and others mount them on their bikes. The RearViz mounts to a rider’s arm and looks like a very nice alternative. Or how about items that are less about cycling and more about a celebration of the lifestyle like Christmas ornaments or beer openers or some bicycle taxidermy?